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Monday, November 30, 2015

The custom of soaling dates back to pre-Christian Celtic practices when soul cakes were baked and given to "soulers" who went from house to house singing and praying for the departed. It was done at the Celtic new year which coincided with the later Christian calendar of Halloween and All Souls day. Thus the practice influenced both "Trick or Treating" at Halloween, and caroling at Christmas (see more at wikipedia).

Peter, Paul & Mary took a traditional soul cake folk song, added strains of "Heigh Ho Nobody, Home," and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen," and created a popular Christmas song, "A Soalin'," which they recorded in 1963. Though some curmudgeons see this as a corruption of an old song and an older tradition, PP&M managed to put the public in touch with some folk history that many would have otherwise been unaware of. Not to mention the fact that their lively instrumentation and vocals showcase their remarkable talent.

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

United-Health Group, Inc. is
demonstrating what is wrong with healthcare in America – and it is not the
Affordable Healthcare Act. The problem is our expectation of profit rather than
access to healthcare as the measure of success.
The front-page news
in last Friday’s Wall Street Journal (11/20/2015) read that UnitedHealth, the largest insurance
provider in the country, is losing money on Obamacare and may pull out of the
ACA exchanges altogether. The truth is that they are not losing money –
it is just that they are not making as much money as they would like. A
look at the New York Stock Exchange reveals that UnitedHealth has made profits for the
first three quarters of 2015, and has done better than it did in 2014. The fact
that the company would threaten to back out of its participation in the
Affordable Care Act due to less than expected profits demonstrates that quarterly
gains are more important than covering people’s healthcare needs.

Healthcare in America took a
wrong turn when someone figured out that it could be a moneymaking industry.
For-profit hospitals began to set the standard, then insurance companies and
pharmaceutical companies quickly accelerated their profit making as well. One
problem with the for-profit model is that not only is a profit expected, but
the profit also has to be greater than last quarter’s profits in order to make
shareholders happy.

There is a difference between
making money and making a profit, as Peter Ubel pointed out in an article in Forbes Magazine last year (“Is the Profit Motive Ruining American Healthcare?”). Hospitals, insurance companies, and pharmaceutical
companies have to generate enough income to pay salaries, cover expenditures,
and have some operating capital. It is certainly important that hospitals and clinics
remain solvent so healthcare workers can be paid for the work they do. It is
also important that people have access to the healthcare we provide. As Peter
Ubel put it, “No one should go bankrupt either paying for medical care or
providing it. But that doesn’t mean health care businesses, whether profit or
non-profit, should enrich themselves at the expense of society.”

If it is getting to the point
that insurance companies cannot deliver policies that will cover the healthcare
needs of the people because they think it is too risky for the company, then
perhaps it is time to look for a different model. If UnitedHealth is
representative of health insurance companies’ attitudes toward healthcare, then
it is demonstrating the need for Medicare for all, or some other version of a
single-payer healthcare system. Every other developed country has figured out
how to provide healthcare for their citizens.

Political Opposition

From the day that the
Affordable Care Act was signed into law, there has been continued opposition to
it from Republicans. Many of the
arguments have to do with costs. Companies claim that added insurance costs
hurts their ability to maintain a profitable business. Now the Republicans are
jumping on the news that UnitedHealth cannot profit from ACA exchanges. They
will look for any reason to make Obamacare not work.

The sad thing is that it is people
in need of healthcare who will suffer in the ongoing political debate of how to
make healthcare work and who will pay. One measure of a nation is how it cares
for its citizens, particularly the sick, the elderly, and the needy. While
other countries find ways to make healthcare work, the U.S. is mired down in
politics and profits.

Putting People ahead of
Profit

Steven Hill, a contributing
writer to the book, Dream of a Nation
has an article, “Tackling the Profit Problem in Healthcare: What the US
Can Learn from Europe?” Hill poses
the question, “How do the French, Germans,
British and other European countries manage to provide better healthcare than most
Americans receive for about half the per capita cost?” One big reason, he says
is one of philosophy, namely that “The various European healthcare systems put
people and their health before profits.” He goes on to point out that not every
European country has a single-payer, government-run healthcare system. “France
and Germany have figured out a third way,” he says, that “appears to perform
better than single-payer, but it also might be a better match for the American
culture.” That “third way” is a hybrid that allows for private insurance
companies as well as individual choice of doctors who are in private practice. In
France and Germany, this hybrid is apparently working, but our own hybrid
attempt with the ACA is being threatened now by corporate greed. We are missing
that ingredient of putting people and their health ahead of profit.

Businesses seem reluctant to provide
healthcare as a benefit, and insurance companies seem reluctant to accept a
reasonable profit in providing healthcare policies. Therefore, it is time for
the U.S. to make an investment in its citizens and find a way to deliver
healthcare for all. If we had a single payer universal healthcare system, for
example, it could be a boon for the economy and a shot in the arm for every
entrepreneur. I personally know of
people who would like to launch their own business, but do not want to risk
losing healthcare benefits they have in their present job. Indeed, there are
many who are working at a job they don’t particularly like just to have
insurance coverage. So not only would
big business benefit from not being saddled with healthcare costs, small
entrepreneurs would have more freedom to do what the Republicans say this
country is all about – start new businesses.

Why must we lag behind other
developed countries when it comes to providing for healthcare needs of the
people? There are some great ideas out there that put people ahead of profits
and look to the common good. With profiteering companies balking at providing
health coverage, it is the perfect opportunity to look for other models of
healthcare delivery.

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Donald Trump's Demagoguery Evokes Memories of Asa Carter

Trump Rally in Birmingham
Photo by Joe Songer (AL.com)

This week we have seen some frightful things in Donald Trump's political rallies that amount to sheer rabble-rousing and using fear to incite crowds. In my own city of Birmingham, Donald Trump held a rally in which some white Trump supporters actually beat up on a black protester with Black Lives Matter. Trump's response was, "Maybe he should have been roughed up." At that same rally, Trump called for surveillance of mosques speaking to, as CNN reported, "a raucous and approving crowd." That crowd loved Trump's promise to build a wall to keep Mexican immigrants out, chanting "Build that wall!" In other rallies, Trump has made the preposterous claim that he saw film footage of "thousands of New Jersey Muslims" cheering and celebrating when the Twin Towers fell on 9/11. The only purpose for such a statement would be to incite the crowds and gain support by playing upon people's fear and prejudice.

Memories of Our Racist PastMy friend, Chervis Isom wrote a memoir, The Newspaper Boy, in which he recounted growing up in the racist climate of 1950s Birmingham, Alabama. One of the things he tells about is the White Citizens Council rallies led by Asa Carter, who really knew how to tap into people's prejudices. His public rallies served to whip up the crowds by using racism and fear to incite action. [You can read my review of his book here] Asa Carter went on to be a speechwriter for George Wallace who exhibited demagoguery par excellence. I have often witnessed what I see as the same base tactics of fear-mongering and hate in the social media as well as in political rhetoric, but when I read about the shameful acts at the Trump rally in my own town, the similarities seemed just too great.

I decided to ask Chervis Isom himself what he thought about what we are seeing today compared to what he witnessed during our state's civil rights struggle. He told me that it does indeed remind him of the White Citizen Council meetings that he attended when he was a teen. Chervis went on to elaborate:

Asa "Ace" Carter would speak so knowingly about the worlds and the International Communist Party and its intention to bring us down, our government was full of Communists, the unions were led by Communists, McCarthy was right about all his theories that there's acommunist or fellow traveler behind every bush. And it was that kind of motivation that caused all the civil unrest by blacks. Nothing but a Communist plot to cause a race war in America. The WCC was against the Jews, the immigrants, and of course the blacks. It was the place where crazies gathered along with normal law abiding people who were being brainwashed to distrust anyone not like us. Thankfully, I met some good, law abiding people, customers on my newspaper route, who were from up north, who showed me a better place. I wrote about my emergence from racism in my memoir, The Newspaper Boy.

Unfortunately, I see too many parallels today to those days a half century ago. You would have thought we would have learned something but I suppose we should never be surprised about the abyss of ignorance out there. Today, we see the same xenophobia that was rampant sixty years ago. We are hearing demagogues like Ace Carter on every front. Trump is one of them, among the worst. It is not Communism today that is the enemy but an amorphous danger called "Islamic Jihad" or words to that effect. Frankly, I think Communism was the greater fear by far. Does anyone remember the concept of "Mutual Assured Destruction", an assurance that no matter who sent the rockets with the "Bombs" first, the reaction would be devastating, and all civilization would be wiped out? Now those were the days when we worried about existential problems. Yes, I see the parallels, and if we play our cars well, Russia will be our ally in this more recent problem. I would say to people to lighten up. Xenophobia and fear are not the answer. It was not the answer then nor is it now.[See more information about Mr. Isom's book at his website: www.thenewspaperboy.net]

A Call for Fairness, Equality, and ReasonI appreciate Chervis Isom's perspective. Today we need to especially take some time to assess the social and political climate. It is one thing to regret the hateful actions, racism, and misogyny of our past. It is another thing altogether to fail to see that same dynamic coming around again. We need to advocate for a better way. Fairness, equality, and reason should be the watchwords of the day. Anytime we let fear guide our actions, we will come to regret those actions.Our politicians would serve us better by demonstrating some decency and statesmanship in public life rather than the hateful and fearful rabble-rousing we are seeing in the likes of Donald Trump and his ilk. Hate, racism and fear of other ethnic groups did not bring us peace and security in the past, and will serve us no better today.

Monday, November 23, 2015

Last week, Willie Nelson became the first country music artist to receive The Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. He performed a song that was first released in 1986, "Living in the Promised Land," telling the crowd, “I think this is one of the most appropriate songs that we could do for this period in America. ... I felt like this might be a good time to kind of try to bring it back.”

The ruins of the present abbey
reputably near the site where Hilda had her first monastery Streonashalh on the headland at Whitby. The present ruins are from an abbey built by
the Norman knight Reinfrid in 1070s which was rebuilt in 1220s. (From the Parish Church of St. Wilfrid website)

Hildoceras Bifrons ammonite
Early Jurassic Period

*From Wikipedia: The genus name has been given the name Hildoceras in honour of St. Hilda of Whitby (614-680 AD). Legend has it that this lady was required to found an abbey on the cliffs above Whitby, in the north of England. Finding the site to be infested by snakes (a devilish omen), she prayed to the Lord and the snakes coiled up and were turned to stone. She picked them up and threw them over the cliff, and that is why there are so many ammonite fossils in the rocks below the abbey. The specific name bifrons comes from Bifron, a demon, another name for the Roman god, Janus

Monday, November 16, 2015

The selection for today's Monday Music feature has been queued up for a couple of weeks -- before the tragic events in Paris last Friday. Here we have some recent music history from France: Django Reinhardt and the Quintette du Hot Club de France, "one of the most original bands in the history of recorded jazz." This is the only video footage of Django with original sound intact that has been discovered.

Friday, November 13, 2015

Is religion compatible with science? Is it useful for psychological health?

Dr. N. S. Xavier explores these questions as he takes us on an amazing journey to a remarkable region in India. The Kerala region in India is the great exception to the violence and cultural clashes that have occurred in India and throughout the world. In this ancient region, Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Jews have lived together peacefully, even sharing in some of their celebrations.

Dr. Xavier, who is from India, gives us a fascinating look at the history of the region, explores the dynamics of the different faiths that are established in Kerala, and examines healthy religion vs. unhealthy religion. He gives some ideas about healthy religion by enumerating the things that conscience promotes:

Faith without fanaticism

Discipline without rigidity

Pleasure without addiction

Power without abusive force

Self-esteem without false pride

Individuality without self-centeredness

Loving relationships without selfishness or hate

Loyalty to one's group without unfairness to other groups

Integration of the past without impediment to the present

Future direction without loss of balance

Good judgment without prejudice

Deep morality without superficial moralism

The film debuted at the Parliament of the World's Religions last month in Salt Lake City, and can now be seen in its entirety on YouTube and can be viewed below (about an hour long). Dr. Xavier's website and contact information is at http://www.nsxavier.com.

Monday, November 9, 2015

Some days, I want something magnificent to start my day, like Beethoven's "Ode to Joy," or something majestic and immense like "Also Sprach Zarathustra," by Strauss. On other days, The Muppets doing Manamanah is just the ticket!

And here is a bit of history behind the song, for some of you who may remember it from other venues. From Wikipedia:

"Mah Nà Mah Nà" is a popular song written by Piero Umiliani. It originally appeared in the Italian film Sweden: Heaven and Hell (Svezia, inferno e paradiso). It was a minor radio hit in the U.S. and in Britain, but became better known in English-speaking countries from its use in a recurring blackout sketch for the 1969-70 season of The Red Skelton Show, the fourteenth episode of Sesame Street, and the first episode of The Muppet Show.

You can see there is a mixture of essay, poetry, music, and humor with some book reviews thrown in as well. Thank you to all who take the time to visit Not Dark Yet. I hope you continue to find this an interesting place in the blogosphere.

Monday, November 2, 2015

"One of the most famous melodies of the Gregorian Chant, Dies Irae was traditionally ascribed to Thomas of Celano (d 1260), but now is usually attributed to an unknown Franciscan of that period. The piece is based upon Zep 1:14-16, a reflection upon the final judgment. It was formerly part of the Mass of the Dead and the Office of the Dead. Today it is found in the Liturgia Horarum for the last week of Ordinary time (34th). In placing it there, the emphasis is upon the upcoming Advent season and the Second Coming of Christ. In Diocese of the United States, it is still used in the Office of the Dead and the Feast of All Souls (Nov. 2)."

Sunday, November 1, 2015

A Meditation on
Mortality

“I
never thought I’d be eating in Heaven,” he said to his new-found guide. “Well,
I’ll take that back. I did imagine
that there might be banquets, but I didn’t think I’d still be going to the
bathroom to take a crap – oh, I’m sorry, can you say ‘crap’ in Heaven?”

“You
may say anything that applies to anything here. And yes, you’ll find that a lot
of those concepts we learned, or assumed,
in life are not really complete. Heaven and Hell are good examples: the idea
that in the afterlife everything would be separated into good and evil, with
everyone living with either reward or punishment. Purgatory came a little
closer with the notion that aspects of Heaven and Hell could coexists in one
place. William Blake may have come the closest, though, when he said that we
each carry heaven and hell within us.”

“I
guess I’m just surprised that the afterlife is so much like life on earth. I figured
that if life did continue after death, it would be completely different – pure bliss
and all that.”

“You’ll
find that there are some differences,” his guide said, “mostly differences in
quality and scale. Rest is more restful, joy is more joyous. On the other hand,
pain can also be more painful. You will be continuing the trajectory that you
began with life on earth.

Before Life Began

“But
if you find that things are similar in the afterlife,” the guide continued, “you
must also realize how vastly different things were before life. You heard from
your scriptures that ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.’
That was not really the beginning. It was in some sense, of course. That was your beginning. Those words harked back
to where life began. Before there was life, however, there was heaven and
earth. There was being itself. Pure being. It scattered across the vast reaches
of space without limitation and without end. Except with pure being there was
also chaos: turmoil and impulse with no direction. Pure being had no
motivation, no guidance, no goal. It could rest listless for an eternity; it
could also churn with strife for an eternity.

“Without
form and limitation, pure being had no motivation, no hope, and no desire for
growth. You can imagine this by looking at your own life. As a child you
thought you had a very long time ahead of you. In your youth you knew that
there was death and destruction, you just didn’t think it would happen to
you. A few years later you began to
acknowledge your own mortality. That understanding of mortality affected what
you did, how you learned, and what you deemed important. Your appreciation of
friends and loved ones increased as did your appreciation of all of life; the
beauty of nature, the joy of music, the wonder of existence.

“So
in those distant ages,” the guide went on, “before God created the heavens and
the earth, pure being was scattered throughout and would eventually become the
framework for the universe. Yet with no end in sight, being had no motivation
for growth or change. That is when God created the heavens and the earth. That
is when limitations of life and death were set. And that is when things began
to happen. In that sense, it was a
true beginning.”

Mortality and the
Trajectory of Life

“So
you are telling me that creation was a
beginning, but not the beginning?”

“That
is correct. Most significantly, the advent of life and death became the most
transformative event in the universe. Prior to life and death, in addition to
there being no motivation or growth, there was constant conflict on a cosmic
scale. The human race has distant memories of this state of conflict in myths such as
Tiamet in Sumer, the Titans in Greek cosmology, and the vision of John the
Revelator that there was war in Heaven.

“On
the day of creation, when life and death entered the cosmos, everything
changed. Conflict did not cease, chaos has never been fully contained, but
form, meaning, purpose and direction took hold. In order for being to evolve,
it must enter into the life-and-death process. That is why the world was made,
that is how human civilization began, and that is how you and I came to be at
this place at this time.”

“But
what now?” he asked. “What happens from here?”

We’ll
take some time to talk about how you lived and what direction that life set for
you. First, talk to me about how you died.”

“Well,
that part seems kind of meaningless. I died in an automobile accident. I was on
my way to work, some car ahead swerved into the oncoming traffic, a diesel truck
jack-knifed and there I was caught in the middle. I left home in the morning
never to return. I know it’s cliché, but I thought I’d have more time. I
figured I’d have that warning heart attack to tell me to slow down and that I’d
die an old man.”

“And
it is also cliché,” his guide responded, “to say that none of us can know how
or when we’ll die. The important thing is that even though you may feel that
you were snatched from life prematurely, while you were living, you set your
vision and trajectory. You accomplished in 50 years what pure being could not
accomplish in an eternity. There are things we learn within the confines of even
a short struggling life that can never be known within the context of infinity.

“Now
that you have discovered that life goes on after death, you will soon realize
that you have already learned the most important things. The true wonder is not
in everlasting life – the wonder is in what you bring with you form that finite
existence on earth. Given the
everlasting nature of life, mortality is the only thing of value that can be
added to existence.”

~ Charles Kinnaird

Skeletal decoration for Day of the Dead in Morelia, Mexicophoto by Alfonso Martorell (Wikimedia Commons)